Xiaomi recently launched the Black Shark Helo, which is the next iteration in the Black Shark series of gaming smartphones. The second-generation mobile phone, like its predecessor, offers nifty internals, along with a bevy of exciting features at a fair price.
Xiaomi Black Shark Helo Key Specs
- 6.01-inch FHD+ display
- Octa-core (4×2.8GigaHertz Kryo 385 Gold and 4×1.8 GigaHertz Kryo 385 Silver)
- 4GB/6GB/10GB RAM
- 128GB/256GB ROM
- Dual rear cameras( 12-MP & 20MP)
- Front-facing 20-MP camera
- 4000mAh non-removable battery
- Gamer Studio app, etc.
Design and Display
This handset has front-facing stereo speakers and a back logo that is RGB LED-illuminated. Designed with side strips, it comes with vapour chamber used for cooling; and also sports an HDR10-compliant screen. When you take a look at the two generations of mobile devices, one of the most striking you will first spot is this screen. Unlike the Black Shark’s LCD panel, this latest handset sports an AMOLED one and a slightly bigger 6.01″ screen size. It comes with an FHD+ display, offering 1080 by 2160 resolution. Xiaomi Black Shark Helo has a refresh rate of 60Hz — the same spec as that of its predecessor.
Hardware and Software
The Black Shark Helo features a Snapdragon 845, working in tandem with either 6GB or 8GB RAM. But the internal storage is 128GB for both versions. It even has a third variant with 10GB RAM & 256GB internal storage. Haidian District, Beijing-based Xiaomi has not said anything about the availability of microSD card support.
Camera
The phone provides a dual rear camera setup of 12 megapixels with a f/1.75 lens as well as 1.25μm pixels, and the second lens of 20MP and f/2.2 aperture. The selfie (front-facing) camera also has 20MP and f/2.2.
Connectivity and Battery
It packs a 4,000mAh non-removable battery that offers Quick Charge 3.0 standard support. Though very little has been said about the software version it ships with, it is expected to be Android 8.1 Oreo that runs out of the box with the brand’s MIUI 10, beautifully displayed at the top.
Gaming
If you are a gaming enthusiast, you can rest assured that Xiaomi has got your back by providing better accessories as compared to last year’s. While the duo of the 6GB and 8GB variants feature an analogue stick attachment, the third 10GB option comes with two controllers, one for each side of the mobile device. The product even has a hardware button for putting the smartphone into a gaming mode on the go. Xiaomi Black Shark Helo comes pre-loaded with Gamer Studio app, allowing you to tweak the CPU, network, display, and so on, for building different gaming profiles for every game. Created profiles can also be shared using the “Shark Code” option.
Other Features
With its dedicated mobile Pixelworks chip, the phone can convert SDR content to HDR in real-time, just the same way the recently launched Nokia 7.1 does.
Xiaomi Black Shark Helo Complete Specifications
Network Connectivity
- 2G: GSM, GPRS, EDGE 900 / 1800 MHz
- 3G: UMTS, WCDMA, HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 MHz
- 4G: LTE bands 1(2300) / 3(1800) / 5(850) / 40(2300) / 41(2500)
- SIM Type: Dual-SIM, Nano-SIM
- Volte: Yes
- WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot, WiFi Direct
- USB: microUSB v2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
- Bluetooth: v5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
- GPS: Yes, A-GPS, BDS, Glonass
Design and Display
- Dimensions: 160 by 75.2 by 8.7mm (6.30 by 2.96 by 0.34inches)
- Weight: 190g
- Build: Metal
- Colours: Black
- Display: AMOLED, 16M colours
- Resolution: 1080 by 2160 pixels (about 402 PPI)
- Aspect ratio: 18:9 ratio
- Touchscreen: Yes, Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch
- Sensors: Fingerprint, Proximity, Ambient light, Accelerometer, Gyro
Hardware and Software
- Processor Type: Octa-core (4×2.8GigaHertz Kryo 385 Gold and 4×1.8 GigaHertz Kryo 385 Silver)
- Processor Name: Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845
- Graphics Processor: Adreno 630
- OS: Android 8.1 Oreo (Expected)
- RAM: 4GB/6GB/10GB
- Internal Storage: 128GB/256GB
- External Storage: N/A
Camera
- Dual Rear Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 1.25µm, dual pixel PDAF & 20 MP, f/1.8, 1.0µm, AF, 2x optical zoom
- Features: Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR
- Video: 2160p@30fps, 720p@120fps, 1080p@30fps
- Front-facing Camera: 20MP, f/2.2, 1.0µm
- Video: 1080p@30fps
Multimedia
- Music Support: MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player
- Audio: N/A
- Loudspeaker: Yes, stereo speakers
- Video Support: MP4/MPEG4 player
- FM Radio: No
Miscellaneous Features
- Charging: Quick Charge 3.0 (Fast battery charging 9V/2A 18W)
- Battery Type and Capacity: Lithium-Polymer 4000mAh (Non-Removable)
- Announced: October 2018
- Availability: November 10, 2018 (Chinese market)
Xiaomi Black Shark Helo Price
The 6GB Black Shark Halo will go for $460 (approx.) and the other 8GB model will cost $505 (approx.). As of yet, nothing has been said about the price and availability of the 10GB/256GB option. Xioami Black Shark Helo is billed to be released, exclusively, on China market on November 10. Release dates for other markets are on the horizon.
